Ungaliophiinae is a subfamily of
booid snakes containing two genera, ''
Ungaliophis'' (two species) and ''
Exiliboa
:''Common names: Oaxacan dwarf boa.''
''Exiliboa'' is a monotypic genus created for the non-venomous dwarf boa species ''Exiliboa placata'', which is endemic to southern Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Description
''E. placata'' ...
'' (one species). They are small constrictors that are found in Central and South America from southern Mexico to Colombia. They eat mostly lizards and frogs and are poorly studied.
These snakes were formerly thought to be closely related to two other genera, ''
Tropidophis'' and ''
Trachyboa''; all four genera were united in the family (
Tropidophiidae) based on the presence of a tracheal lung and the absence of a left lung. However, ''Ungaliophis'' and ''Exiliboa'' are now known to be more closely related to
booid snakes, whereas ''Tropidophis'' and ''Trachyboa'' are known to be more closely related to the American red pipesnake ''
Anilius
The Aniliidae are a monotypic family created for the monotypic genus ''Anilius'' that contains the single species ''A. scytale''. Common names include American pipe snake and false coral snake. It is found in South America. This snake p ...
''. Within
Booidea
The Booidea, also known as booid snakes, are a superfamily of snakes that contains boas (family Boidae) and other closely related boa-like snakes (but not pythons, which are in a separate superfamily called Pythonoidea). As of 2017, Booidea conta ...
, ''Ungaliophis'' and ''Exiliboa'' are thought to be most closely related to North American ''
Charina'' and ''
Lichanura'' boas.
References
Boidae
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